Mental Health Network

The Mental Health Network was launched in 2014 by the Western Australian Department of Health (DoH) and the Mental Health Commission (MHC). The Network aims to improve health outcomes for people with mental health issues by building engagement, co-operation and consensus between consumers, family/carers, health professionals, hospitals, health services, community managed organisations, the MHC and the DoH to inform mental health policy and reform, and to strengthen and increase coordination of mental health care and support across the State.

On 1 July 2017, the governance of the Mental Health Network transferred from the DoH to the MHC. The MHC provides executive, administrative and policy support.

The Mental Health Network is led by Clinical Co-Lead Dr Helen McGowan. The Community Co-Lead position is currently vacant and a recruitment process is underway. The Mental Health Network Executive Advisory Group (EAG) supports the Co-Leads through provision of advice and review of the work of the Sub Networks. The Mental Health Commissioner is a member of the EAG.

Ten Mental Health Sub Networks have been established, based on identified need, to support the MHN to meet its objectives. They are comprised of clinicians, consumers, family/carers, researchers and practitioners from the community managed sector. Each Sub Network is accountable to the Mental Health Network Co-Leads. The current Sub Networks are: Eating Disorders; Forensic; Multicultural; Neuropsychiatry and Developmental Disability; Older Adult; Perinatal and Infant Mental Health; Personality Disorders; Youth Mental Health; Joondalup Region; and Peel and Rockingham Kwinana (PaRK) region.

The MHC is currently undertaking a review of the Mental Health Network. The purpose of the review is to:

examine current Mental Health Network structure and function to identify ways to increase efficiency and effectiveness;

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of our State and its waters. The Commission wishes to pay its respects to Elders both past and present and extend this to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples seeing this message.